The Deuce Club, 5.8

By Heidi Kim, TW Contributing Writer

Hey Tribe!  I can't believe it's already May and the clay season is in full swing.  I just got back from two weeks in Poland and England, and I can assure you that the Harrods in Heathrow Airport already had a Wimbledon table right out front with towels, blankets, t-shirts for the whole family, and little bags.  They seem quite affordable until you do the conversion from pounds to dollars in your head (sigh).

The tennis mentions weren't quite as prolific in Poland, but I was quite surprised to find the bar pictured at right when wandering around the gorgeous town square in Wroclaw. I would have been less surprised to find a Wimbledon bar in Krakow, which is full of British tourists drawn by lower prices and budget flights, but Wroclaw is relatively free of foreign tourists in spite of being at least as beautiful.  I highly recommend both cities, which feature beautiful old city centers.  As you go further out, old architecture is intermingled with Communist-era cement block buildings, frequently decorated with football fan graffiti.

I did not go into the Wimbledon bar, but I did eat and drink plentifully, enjoying Polish sausages, pastries, and pierogi by the dozens.  The first thing I did when I got back was wolf down a salad; they're not so much for fresh leafy greens over there.  Luckily, I worked off all my food by wandering all over the town and climbing multiple church towers.  Not recommended for those with a fear of heights is Mary Magdalen in Wroclaw.  You can climb up to a tiny bridge that links the two towers at the very top; in the old days, penitents would stay out there and pray.

If you've also been traveling, feel free to share your stories and send me your photos!  Thanks to those of you who sent in things before I left -- I will be using them soon.  As always, this is your dedicated OT thread, so take a break from musings on clay below.